His hands came up to cradle my face, holding me to him, his lips moving over mine with purpose. His lips parted slightly and I let out a breathy gasp as he took my lower lip into his mouth, sucking gently. He may as well have been sucking on a few other parts of my body for what it made me feel. I was instantly hot and buzzing, imagining his mouth doing that exact same thing in other places. I groaned slightly when his teeth came to nip at me, and at my noises, he seemed to lose a bit of his control.

   Instantly, his arm was around my waist and I yelped as he stood, holding me to him, but swinging me so that my legs wrapped around him, then sat again with my legs straddling him. He reached up and wrapped his fingers around the neck strap of my camera, then paused, silently asking permission to take it off. I bent my head forward and felt him lift it over, then watched as he placed it gently on top of his backpack, keeping it off the wet cavern floor.

   When he turned back to me, each of his hands landed on one of my knees, and then slowly slid up my thighs, to the side of my hips and up my ribcage. His large, warm palms slid over my back and he pulled me closer to him, my breasts pressing up against his hard chest, and then he kissed me again. This time, though, the kiss was hungry. He wasted no time parting my lips with his tongue. Then, he just took.

   I’d never submitted to anyone like I did in that moment. I was happily giving control over to him, finally glad to feel like I was allowed to give someone whatever he wanted. Excited not to feel shame or guilt for kissing someone, for feeling whatever I was feeling. And, at that moment, I was feeling hungry too.

   My hands wandered over his chest, my tongue pressed against his, and I reveled in the feeling of being so close to him, of letting him get that close to begin with. This was no at-arms-length encounter; he wasn’t someone I was trying to keep at a safe distance. He was in it with me, entirely present, fully pressed against me, and his body was asking for more.

   His hands raked down my back then came around my waist and while one hand rested on my hip, the other floated up my belly then came to cup my breast, gently palming me over my shirt. The contact was maddening and I wished we weren’t just yards away from other hikers. The brief brush of his hand over my breast was enough to light a fire, but now I had no way to put out the flame.

   His mouth pulled away from mine roughly, but then landed on my neck, kissing down the sensitive skin there until his tongue met the hollow part at the base. I was panting, my hands threaded through his soft hair, practically holding his mouth to me, hoping he never stopped using it on me.

   “God, Lyn, I can’t get enough.” His mouth dragged back up my throat, moving over my jaw, then took my mouth again. I rocked forward, trying to get as close to him as I possibly could, trying to, Jesus, I didn’t know. I wanted to climb inside of him, wanted to be a part of him, and to have him be a part of me. I wanted to somehow bind myself to him, mark him, leave some sort of proof I had been there, on his lap, writhing against him, and his mouth had been on my skin. I wanted all kinds of things that didn’t seem possible. I wanted things I’d never thought possible. I wanted him. Even if it was just once, just one time to feel that connection to him, I’d give anything.

   “Nate,” I groaned against his mouth, loving the way he growled when he heard his name come from my lips. If we’d been anywhere else even remotely more private I’d be peeling my shirt off, hoping he’d take me and never look back. But we were outdoors with plenty of people right on the other side of the falls. Anyone could walk back there and find us.

   I pulled away from his mouth again, but he wouldn’t let me go far. His hands gripped my face, gently holding me to him, our foreheads pressed together. I felt his fast and fevered breaths pant across my face. My hands rested on his chest feeling his heart beat rapidly.

   “I’m sorry,” he finally whispered.

   “You’re sorry?” I asked, afraid he regretted the whole exchange. Afraid he thought he’d made a mistake. All the important men in my life had made a mistake with me.

   “Lyn, baby, I’m sorry I did that here – in broad daylight. I’m not sorry I kissed you – not at all.” His hands moved reverently over my cheeks and down my neck, as if he just needed to put his hands on any part of me available. My eyes closed at the feeling of his rough and calloused hands moving over my sensitized skin. “I’ve wanted to kiss you since I first met you. I’ve been trying to read you, trying to figure out if you’d want that.” He swallowed thickly and I watched his Adam’s apple bob, biting my lower lip to keep myself from moving my mouth toward it. “Tell me you wanted it,” he whispered, his eyes darting back and forth between mine, anxiety apparent in his expression.

   I moved my own hands up to wrap around both sides of his thick, corded neck, making sure I said my next words with as much conviction as I could muster. “I’ve never wanted anything more than for you to kiss me.”

   He breathed out a sigh of relief and wrapped his arms around me, holding me for a few minutes, letting both our bodies come down from the kiss-induced high we’d climbed to just moments before.

   “You’re a fantastic kisser,” I said, my voice soft and playful, hoping to lead us out of the thick and heavy moment and back into the light. He squeezed me a little tighter and I felt a slight laugh rumble through him, doing absolutely nothing to calm the arousal I was trying to keep at bay. He leaned back and then gently tucked another tendril of hair behind my ear.

   “I must have been inspired.”

   “Well, here’s hoping you get inspired again sometime.” I winked at him and this time he let out a legitimate laugh. And just like that, we were back to the easy lightness we’d shared with him all day. One minute he was kissing me like he needed to devour me and the next we were laughing and making jokes. Something in the back of my mind told me this is how it’s supposed to be. It doesn’t always have to be hard or sad or forced. Happiness is light.

   I shook my head, trying to free my mind of the profound thoughts making themselves known while I was sitting on an attractive man’s lap.

   I stood up and grabbed my camera, draping it around my neck again, and then Nate stood and took my hand, grabbed his backpack, and led me out of the cavern, back in to reality.

Chapter Fifteen

Present Day

   “Well, here we are again,” Nate said as he put his truck into park. The afternoon sun was shining through the windshield and his cheeks were just a little pinker for spending the day outdoors.

   “Thank you for a great day. It was a lot of fun.” I fiddled with my camera, trying to make it seem like I was putting things in order, when really I was stalling, not ready to leave him yet. When I felt his fingers under my chin I stilled, then lifted my eyes to meet his, which were a lot closer than they just had been.

   “I’d like to see you again. Soon.” His face was achingly close, his thumb and forefinger putting just enough pressure on my chin to make my insides melt.

   “I’d like that too,” I breathed.

   He waited only a moment before he leaned forward and pressed the softest and most patient kiss against my lips. It was a far cry from the urgent kisses we’d shared behind the waterfall. There was still need, but it was simmering instead of boiling. When he finally pulled away, I was breathless. His body moved and I opened my eyes fully, and then realized he was pulling his wallet from his back pocket. He flipped it open and produced a business card.

   “This has my cell number on it. I already have your number, now you have mine. I’d like you to use it. I’ll do the same.”